Celebrity Tribute (Glenn Close, 2019): Maltin Modern Master Award

Reviewed by Gloria Kaye. Viewed at the 2019 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Glenn Close is a gifted and humble actress, who demonstrates her flexibility by the vast number of films in which she has starred.  As a theater performer, she has played Shakespeare as well as contemporary plays.

I was most impressed by her thoughtful answers to the moderator’s questions.  She paused and obviously gave her answers with insight, and in some cases, humor.  Early in the interview, her dog Tippy nearly stole the spotlight.  Tippy came on stage and hopped up onto Glenn’s chair.  She confessed that she is very much an animal lover.

The many clips that were shown brought back so many memories for me. One of my favorite films was Albert, in which she plays a young man.  I was very interested in behind the scenes of Albert.  Before she agreed to do the film, she met with makeup artists so that she could be assured that she definitely would not be identified as Glenn Close. This meticulous care was present in all of her performances.

Glenn Close is a true master and deserving of the recognition she has received at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.  In her preparation for the film Fatal Attraction, Glenn consulted with two psychiatrists so that she could better understand the psychodynamics of the main character.  She was not willing to proceed until she fully understood the underlying causes of the psychosis she was portraying

One of the most impressive aspects of the interview was Glenn’s poise.  She had a regal bearing, yet was not stilted. Her wisdom, dignity, and long seasoned acting career left a lasting impression on me.  In a TV interview, I got an additional glimpse into Glenn’s life.  At age 71, she says she has never felt sexier.  Since her biological clock is ticking, winning the Golden Globe for The Wife was particularly important to her. She said in the past, it was never very important.  At the age of 71, her thoughts have changed, and she now gratefully accepts her recognition.